Overview
The 15th Illinois Infantry (Reorganized) was an infantry regiment from Illinois that served in the Union Army during the final months of the American Civil War and the immediate postwar period. This unit was reorganized from earlier service and participated in the closing operations of the war, including the march to Washington, D.C., and subsequent service on the western frontier. The regiment was attached to the 4th Division, 17th Army Corps, and was mustered out in September 1865.
This unit is distinct from the 15th Illinois Infantry (Three Years’ Service).
Organization & Service
The 15th Illinois Infantry (Reorganized) was formed from veterans and recruits of the original 15th Illinois Infantry. After the conclusion of General Sherman’s campaign and the surrender of General Johnston in April 1865, the reorganized regiment marched with the army to Washington, D.C., passing through Richmond and Fredericksburg. The regiment participated in the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington and remained in the city for approximately two weeks.
Following its stay in Washington, the regiment traveled by rail and steamboat to Louisville, Kentucky, where it remained for another two weeks. It was then detached from the 4th Division, 17th Army Corps, and sent by steamer to St. Louis, Missouri, and subsequently to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, arriving there on July 1, 1865. The 15th Illinois Infantry (Reorganized) was assigned to duty on the western plains and reached Fort Kearny on August 14, 1865. However, the regiment was ordered to return to Fort Leavenworth on September 1, 1865, where it was mustered out of service and sent to Springfield, Illinois, for final payment and discharge. The regiment’s total membership during its service was 1,963, with 640 men present at muster-out.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond and Fredericksburg (April–May 1865)
- Grand Review of the Armies, Washington, D.C. (May 1865)
- Postwar service at Louisville, Kentucky (June 1865)
- Frontier duty at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and Fort Kearny, Nebraska (July–September 1865)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 15th Illinois Infantry (Reorganized) during this period are not separately reported in primary sources. The total membership during its reorganized service was 1,963, with 640 present at muster-out.
Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel George C. Rogers
- Lieutenant Colonel Lemuel O. Gilman
- Major Joseph Develin
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 15th Illinois Infantry (Reorganized), including officers and enlisted men who served during this period, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and additional service details for genealogical and historical research.
To view the complete roster, visit the 15th Illinois Infantry (Reorganized) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XLVII, Part I–III
- Illinois Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Regimental records and postwar summaries